Cosby admitted to drugging woman for sex in 2005 deposition.

The show was HUGE in the 80's. Everyone watched it. Cosby was perceived as a wise, funny father figure; people assumed he was similar to his character on the show. His books, etc. were very popular.

The show itself was unrealistic and doesn't hold up well. Everyone liked the happy, successful family it portrayed, especially because it showed that was possible for a black family. I doubt, in real life, a family of any color with five kids and a doctor and lawyer for parents would be so laid-back and stress-free; the parents' jobs seemed hardly to take up any time at all. The most scandalous thing any of the kids ever did was when Lisa Bonet's already-grown character traveled around for a while and came back with an unexpected new husband and stepdaughter (toddler Raven Symone, who was put there to be in-your-face cute). They all wore bright patterned sweaters and dealt with first world problems that were solved by one of Bill Cosby's wise, witty, and really kind of egotistical monologues. It was full of positive role models, but got kind of cliched after a while.

 

Except in Family Matters the "smart" black kid doesn't actually get into Princeton or NYU, but invents a machine so he can finally become "cool."

 

I wonder how much of Cosby's "Fatherhood" era on-air diction and physicality were co-opted from Pryor and Flip Wilson. He's got one of those non-peer reviewed Ed.D degrees that every principal or superintendent (and my mom) has, so he's not a complete goofball.

 

Damn this is disturbing. Who's next? Irkle?

 

It wasn't just the sitcom. His early stand up was very funny.

 

For those that grew up watching Cosby, he wasn't just this big thing in comedy, he was a Juggernaut of Hollywood, I mean he was the biggest celebrity of them all. He was a god that was untouchable and could do anything he wants. He had the respect and the power and fame. I have never seen anyone this big that came crashing down like an asteroid wiping away the existence of dinosaur.

 

Good times > Cosby show

 

Fat Albert > any other cartoon ever

 

Growing Pains > Cosby Show

 

What's happening > Cosby show

 

So, he's been lying to us the whole time. I never would have guessed that with so many accusers. I was only going based on what his on-screen Cosby wife was saying. She had no problems. I guess he didn't want to hit so close to home.

Cosby: NOT GUILTY...YOUR HONOR!

Judge: No trial. You are banished to the Gulag camp in Siberia!

I just can't believe how many times he has gotten away with this little scheme of his. I forget what the accuser list count is at....20 something plus. It's a shame he turned out to be such a horrible human being in real life.

 

What's Happening!! >> *.*

 

From what I am hearing. . . its in the 40s now

Rocket River

 

yup. listening to joe rogan's podcast the last few years you will get updates from time to time. and it is indeed in the 40's now.

 

My main question is -- how the hell was he knocking girls out with beans?

 

You must not seen a lot of cartoons to make that assumption.

 

He and Newhart (who stuck the landing a little earlier) probably single-handedly convinced networks to start developing whole sitcoms around standups who often had little-to-no acting experience. I can't think of a time from '87 to the late '90s that ABC's lineup wasn't stuffed with these, to say nothing of Paul Reiser's post-Aliens career. And the reverence that he got from comics up until the middle of last decade.

His other shows in the '70s sucked, but he was charismatic enough to do some pretty solid movie work at probably the first opportunity for black actors. Then he makes mid-nine-figures off of one sitcom in the '80s and is completely worthless cinematically.

 

Alan Thicke is actually a fairly interesting and objectively cool guy especially considering his progeny, Kirk Cameron has impressively enough built a career based on his values; but nearly destroyed the show by slandering his producers, and possibly threw away a mid-level movie career. Tracey Gold's dad pushed her and her sister Missy into acting, it seems to have almost killed her at the time.

 

Pill Cosby